Sydney's witchhousers Gift Exchange released their debut EP "Before The Dust Settles" in August, but for some reason I never blogged about it properly. Mea culpa. Comprised of vocalist Madison Scott, guitarist Jaime Krausmann and producer Eduardo Bianchino, the group belongs to the new wave of witch house artists that leave behind the cheap mainstream sound which dominated most of the last decade, and instead carve a niche of their own. In a nutshell, their style can be described as a crossover between White Ring and solo stuff by Alice Glass, with a huge dose of guitar riffs and reverb on top. It's a freaking solid record from start to finish, but it may take some time to fully appreciate it. Jaime's guitar work provides distinct atmosphere and unique vibe to the whole album, and contends for the spotlight with Madison's vocals. Ed's production style leans towards an ethereal mood, reminiscent of Elusin's compositions for example, occasionally sprinkled with deconstructed club, punk and drone elements. Australian WH scene is thriving right now.
Buy the album here, and stream in full below.